FAQ: Absence Notifications

Contact each professor as soon as possible - either by email or phone.

Check each instructors attendance policy to determine the impact the absence will have. Every instructor is responsible for setting his or her own attendance policy and University policy requires that each instructor include this information on the course syllabus. Only the instructor can determine whether the absence will be "excused" or not.

If the instructor requests an absence notification, the student should fill out the Absence Notification Request Form and attach the official documentation. Notifications cannot be sent if the student does not have documentation.

Get official, written documentation with the dates that a physician "orders" the student to miss class. The document should include:

The business or medical practice letterhead, including contact information.

The students name and if possible, TXST ID#

The date(s) that the student is "ordered" to miss class(es).

If the physician cannot give a specific return date, that must be clearly stated on the document.

A statement about the reference to the general nature of the emergency using terms like "chronic condition" or "acute condition" or "medical emergency." There is no need for the physician to provide the exact nature of the medical condition or treatment required.

If the student experiences an extended absence, contact the Dean of Students Office at 512-245-2124 to arrange a meeting -either phone or in person- to discuss the options available.

Contact each professor as soon as possible - either by email or phone.

Check each instructors attendance policy to determine the impact the absence will have. Every instructor is responsible for setting his or her own attendance policy and University policy requires that each instructor include this information on the course syllabus. Only the instructor can determine whether the absence will be "excused" or not.

The steps to take if a student experiences an emergency that is not medical or death related, or either of the three reasons listed above. These types of absences are handled on a case-by-case basis. However, these are the steps that should be followed:

Contact each professor as soon as possible - either by email or phone.

Check each instructors attendance policy to determine the impact the absence will have. Every instructor is responsible for setting his or her own attendance policy and University policy requires that each instructor include this information on the course syllabus. Only the instructor can determine whether the absence will be "excused" or not.

Get official, written documentation with the dates that a physician "orders" the student to miss class. The document should include:

Not all professors require an absence notification for your absences. Request an absence notification only for those instructors who specifically request one. Notifications will only be sent to those instructors who are named on the Request Form.

Check the syllabus for each class in the section called "Attendance Policy" or something similar. The university requires that each instructor give information about his or her attendance policy on the course syllabus.

Ask your instructor if you cannot locate the information on the course syllabus.

To get an absence notification, the student must fill out the Absence Notification Request Form. If it is more convenient, the student can come by the Dean of Students Office, located on the 5th floor of the LBJ Student Center. The notification will be sent, via email, to each instructor that has requested the notification within one business day; the student will be copied.

The information needed for the form to be issued to an instructor:

Student's name, ID number and contact information

The reason for the absence: Medical, Death, Other

The exact dates that the student was absent from class

The name and course information for each instructor who has requested an absence notification

Official documentation must be attached or can be faxed to 512-245-8268.

If there are any questions, the student should contact the Dean of Students Office at 512-245-2124.

Before requesting that an absence notification be sent, the student should check to see if the absence will be "excused" by the instructor. Because each instructor is responsible for setting her or his own attendance policy, it is best to determine whether the notification is required in order for the absence to be excused.

The Dean of Students Office provides the absence notification service to students and instructors but the fact that a notification has been issued does not insure that the absence has been or will be excused.

Because each instructor has a specific attendance policy, it should be referenced at the beginning of the semester and strictly adhered to. To get information about a particular instructor's attendance policy in advance, the student can reference the instructor's previous syllabuses.

If a student knows that he or she is going to miss a class (for example, for a doctor's appointment or court date), the instructor should be notified immediately. Because not all instructors allow for non-emergency absences, the student should consider rescheduling the appointment for a day or time that will not conflict with the class time.

If a student knows that that she or he might miss multiple classes because of an ongoing medical condition, the instructor should be notified immediately and the student should consider contacting the Office of Disability Services.